Pizza Delivered and A Win Too!!

I have always stayed consistent in trying to be honest in the DNB. In that vain I find it hard to get excited for any of the rest of this season. Jerryd Bayless no longer has to worry about it as he is out for the rest of the year. Demar DeRozan is back though at least there is that. But the season that promised nothing has delivered nothing so to say I am surprised would be a lie. Meanwhile, Andrea Bargnani had just 8 points and allow me to be the first to say that Andrea Bargnani may just be who we thought he was before this season. Actually I have already said that. Truth is the Bargnani post calf injury has been awful. One other note no James Johnson for this one and another under performer in Linas Kleiza replaces him in the starting line-up.

Naturally Andrea Bargnani starts like a house of fire. The Raptors mostly with Bargnani built a 9-2 lead. Bargnani had the first 7 points and than the other guy I mentioned who was struggling drains a three against his former team as Kleiza nails it to make it 12-4 Raptors. DeRozan nails a jumper as he returns to the line-up and the Raptors lead this thing 17-9. Raptors were continuing to keep control of this one lead by Andrea Bargnani with 10 points and they still had a 22-17 lead on pace for pizza with 5 to play in 1st. Nuggets cut it down to three point advantage and Jose Calderon made a jumper to push it to a 5 point lead. Ben Uzoh seeing his first minutes as a Raptor with score 25-20 Raptors. Not much changed while he was in there but he will fit right in with 2 quick fouls and Raptors lead 27-22 after 1.

Gary Forbes hits a three on his former team to get the 2nd quarter going. Forbes with another 2 and like Bargnani had in first it was Forbes starting quarter like a house of fire and Raptors lead 32-22. Some slippage but Forbes again stepped up with a big three. Still the Nuggets were starting to turn the corner. Yet another three this time form Calderon made it a 7 point lead briefly till Al Harrington answered with another three. Bargnani passed 6000 points which they made a huge deal of on the broadcast. Jack Armstrong with some clever wit asked after it occurred if he got a slice of pizza for that. Raptors were still on pace to get pizza and more importantly win a game leading 48-40. Denver was pushing hard this whole quarter and Raptors lead was shrinking fast down the stretch down to just one....then up one for Nuggets on back to back turnovers. Klezia buzzer beater 3 saves the lead at the the half for Raptors 55-53

Raptors came out and built on to their small advantage and got it up to 6 points. The Nuggets had only lead once briefly right before the half. Chandler who many Raptor fans drooled about were not drooling now as he tied the game up at 63. Lawson would give the Nuggets the lead and Dwane Casey frustrated gets called for a tech. The wheels were coming off in this game and honestly in this season to a large degree. Nuggets quickly extended that advantage to 6 points leading 69-63. A JaVale McGee dunk over Jose Calderon summed up how the momentum had changed nicely making it 73-67. DeRozan was doing his best to try to get Raptors back in it with lots of drives to the hoops and the lead was down to 2 with score 74-72 Nuggets. But the Nuggets would respond with a push to get their lead back to 80-74. Alan Anderson one of the 10 day contract guys with a nice three to cut the lead in half. Anderson would score another bucket later than the other 10 day contract guy Uzoh with a bucket to tie the game at 85 after 3.

Nuggets with more on the line came out strong in the 4th and took a lead which can be expected. Raptors would hang around though and finally made a move to do more than that just past the mid point of the 4th. Andrea Bargnani after a Gary Forbes three that cut the lead to one, it was Bargnani that would give the Raptors a 95-94 lead. Raptors would not only get Pizza thanks to Andrea Bargnani but pull away with his three after making the highly intense Pizza on the line free throws. Raptors lead 103-96 and this would be a horrible loss for the Nuggets. There was only 1:45 left and they honestly had not looked great for most of night. Raptors did something they rarely have done as they closed this game out well. Raptors close it out 105-96.

This was a good game for Andrea Bargnani. The fact he has scored over 6000 points honests means nothing. It is just a garbage T.V trick to make you care about something that doesn't matter. What does matter is does this continue or is it a blip on the Radar. Bargnani since his explosive start to the season since returning has been much more like the Bargnani we have seen in the 6 years prior. I get that people want to believe he has turned some corner but I am not convinced you can honestly say that. Aside from him you saw nice efforts from the two 10 day pick ups by the Raptors. You also saw a solid performance from the former Nuggets Forbes and to a lesser extent Kleiza. It was a good win for the Raptors and a terrible loss for the Nuggets. In a game like this you can learn some things. Denver needed this badly and the Raptors out competed them under those circumstances. That is a positive sign for the future. A small one but still a positive.

DeRozan Expected To Return Tonight

The Raptors got some bad news yesterday if you missed it with Jerryd Bayless being ruled out for the rest of the season. Today some good news as Demar DeRozan is expected to return to the line up and like he did 130 times before he got injured start. If anyone can related to the Raptors injury woes it is likely their opponent tonight in the Denver Nuggets. While the Raptors have went most of the season with out their Italian star in Bargnani same has been true in Denver with Gallinari.

Gallinari has only played in 33 games for the Nuggets, Bargnani has played in just 24 games for the Raptors. Danilo is not that far behind Bargnani in terms this year when they have played. While you can debate who is the better between the two there is no debating that Gallinari has the better cast around him. Unfortunately will not get a chance to see the two face off against each other tonight it looks like with Gallinari out yet again for the Nuggets.

The Nuggets made a surprising and most feel bad trade at the deadline parting ways with Nene who the Nuggets had fought hard to keep in the off-season. They do have Wilson Chandler who is likely the only Nugget visiting Toronto for the second time this season. The first was of course because he was considering signing with the Raptors after having played in China and returning as a RFA. That would not materialize and he would sign long term with the Nuggets. Which many say was his desire all along and he just used the Raptors as leverage. Which is something the Nuggets don't have in terms of the playoffs in the West. They are hanging on to the 8th spot with just a half game lead over Houston and a two game lead over Steve Nash and surging Suns.

The Nuggets did of course get something for Nene and that was Javale McGee who had one of the more embarrassing moments of the NBA season vs the Raptors with his old team the Wizards earlier in the season. I thought about posting the video of it but pretty sure you all remember. However, of late he has been alright for his new team with 11.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2 blocks in his last 3 games.

Any other things you need to know for this one? Keep an eye on Gary Forbes who now even has a bigger chance with both Barbosa and Bayless gone. He faces his former team tonight and that can motivate some people. Although this was Forbes deciding to come to Toronto and not the Nuggets sending him here. If he came for Toronto for opportunity he is now finding it.

Expect the Nuggets to be desperate for the win given the fact they are life and death to make playoffs and just 5-5 in their last 10 games. Raptors had a poor effort vs Magic but getting DeRozan back should help on offense. He won't solve the larger problem the Raptors had of defending the three point shot like they did vs the Magic.

Wilson Chandler Saga Takes Another Turn.

Well it seems Wilson Chandler is a free man. So the story we had about him not being able to sign with the Raptors has now changed. It had been reported he would have to wait about a week that would have made it impossible for him to sign with another team. Here is the update we added to the original story from the weekend.

This ongoing saga or maybe it just seems that way, has taken another twist or is it a turn? Wilson Chandler now has the green light to sign an NBA Contract and has until Thursday to make that with another team not named the Nuggets. So that puts him back in play for the Raptors. There has been talk that Raptors are looking to move Barbosa to free up more cash to offer a contract that Denver would in effect be unable to match. It is currently believed the Raptors could only offer 4.2 million where the Nuggets would have 4.6 Million to over given both teams respective Cap Situation.

According to Chandler's agent he is only interested in a long term deal and if he doesn't get one he would sit out the rest of the year and could go to Italy and play in the spring and be ready to return to the NBA next season as a RFA. Here is a story from the Denver Post that contains more info.

Wilson Chandler Is Not Coming To Town

Based on some info being provided by Adrian Wojnarowski looks like Wilson Chandler is not going to be a Raptor and will only have a chance to return to the Nuggets

@WojoYahooNBA-The China Basketball Association has refused to give Wilson Chandler a letter of clearance to play immediately in NBA, sources tell Yahoo!

Chandler has filed an appeal that could take up to a week to get him free to sign. That would go past the March 1st deadline for a RFA to sign with another team. So that puts the Raptors out of the mix assuming they were even in the mix at all. Most felt Chandler was visiting Toronto as a play on his part to get a better deal with Denver.

Regardless that fact he will not be able to sign an NBA Contract prior to March 1st will make that a moot point it would appear. He may just sign for the rest of the season and become an RFA again after this year. So for now the Raptors are out. They still could be in if Chandler and only if Chandler does not come to terms on a long term deal with the Nuggets.

Update Feb 28th: This ongoing saga or maybe it just seems that way has taken another twist or is it a turn? Wilson Chandler now has the green light to sign an NBA Contract and has until Thursday to make that with another team not named the Nuggets. So that puts him back in play for the Raptors. There has been talk that Raptors are looking to move Barbosa to free up more cash to offer a contract that Denver would in effect be unable to match. It is currently believed the Raptors could only offer 4.2 million where the Nuggets would have 4.6 Million to over given both teams respective Cap Situation.

According to Chandler's agent he is only interested in a long term deal and if he doesn't get one he would sit out the rest of the year and could go to Italy and play in the spring and be ready to return to the NBA next season as an RFA. Here is a story from the Denver Post that contains more info.

Raptors Reach Double Figures.

The Raptors came out all business on this night. Demar DeRozan leading that charge. He would have about as perfect a first quarter as you could going 4-4 from the field and 4-4 at the line to lead all scorers with 12 points in the opening stanza. He was also doing a better job on defense as well, something that was missing against the Bobcats. Raptors as a team were bringing it on the defensive side of ball holding the Pistons to just 36% shooting from the field. The Raptors were shooting a blazing 57.9%. Yet despite all of this it was just a 28-24 lead after one. Part of the reason for that was the Pistons getting on the offensive glass as they had 5 offensive boards 3 of which came from Jason Maxiell.

Raptor would keep things rolling on the right path in the second. They had some nice ball movement in this game with with 19 assists in the first half and 9 of those coming from Jose Calderon. Raptors had 19 bench points to go with those 19 assists as everyone that came off the bench to this point has points lead by Barbosa with 8. Raptors had the lead into double figures and looked dominate at times or like the only team not already on All-Star break. However the Pistons would show signs of life before the end of the half cutting the lead to 8 with a halftime score of 53-45. They had also slightly improved their shooting percentage to 40.5% while the Raptors were still hot at a 57.5% clip.

Raptors came out in the second half and picked up their effort on defense which had been pretty good to begin with. They would hold the Pistons to just 15 points in the 3rd. They had won every quarter in this game and had a 74-60 lead to show for their efforts. The fact they were the rested team and had many days to prepare for this one was showing through on the floor.

Raptors had done a fair job keeping Greg Monroe in check with 13 points and 8 rebounds for him through 3 quarters. He would have a strong final quarter scoring 17 points and having 6 rebounds. Still, the Raptors would find a way to hang on in this one. It was a real team effort in the end. Perhaps the best symbol of that team win was Aaron Gray, having 12 points and 12 rebounds. His efforts did not go unnoticed by the 17,125 that were in attendance. Late in the game the ACC rang out with MVP chants for Aaron Gray. It was a moment for sure and one that you likely never expected to see this season. The Raptors in the locker room after 103-93 win were in good spirits. While Gray was talking with the media post game James Johnson on the other side of the locker room was chanting MVP. Demar DeRozan later in talking with the media also approved of the fans showing Gray some love. DeRozan led the Raptors in scoring with 23 points and 7 rebounds.

Jose Calderon had just 5 points in this game but 15 assists of the Raptors 30 on the night. Casey had praised Jose pre-game and acknowledged the fact the phone has been ringing with many teams inquiring about Jose Calderon. That said Casey seems fine with Jose staying right where he is and after his performance last night likely nothing changes in that regard. Jerryd Bayless was back at full strength backing him up with 7 points and 4 assists off the bench in 20 minutes.

Ironically, the Raptors are right on pace with what I predicted here in the DNB as they sit 10-23 heading into the All-Star break with half of their 66 game sked in front of them. If they get a healthy Andrea Bargnani back after the All-Star break they should have no problem surpassing the modest 20-46 prediction we made at the start of the season. This was just the 4th win of the season without him as the Raptors are 4-16 minus the Primo pasta spokesman. You could make a case this team would have a decent chance at the playoffs had they had a healthy Bargnani for the full season. Even though the playoffs are still a mathematical possibility they are likely not a logical reality. The Raptor longest home stand of the season is in the books and they only manage to go 2-5 and 5-11 at home on the season. But you can feel confident that in the 2nd half the Raptors should improve on that home record and overall record if they can be healthy in the second half of the season and have the same Andrea Bargnani we saw in the 13 games he did play in during the first half of the season. That won't improve their draft stock but it will improve the individuals that will be part of this team moving forward.

Raptors also were in talks with Wilson Chandler, who is looking to return to the NBA after signing in China during the lockout. He is a restricted free agent of the Denver Nuggets. He paid a visit to Toronto to meet with the Raptors. But before people get carried away with excitement this very well could be a leverage move on the part of Chandler to get a longer term deal with his former team Denver. They would have 4.6 Million to bring him back if they so choose to do so. The Raptors could not go beyond that number with out making some sort of roster moves to do so. Chandler has till Match 1st to sign an offer sheet with another team. If not he could only re-sign with the Nuggets or sit out the rest of this season and be a RFA again in the upcoming off-season. Aside from the Nuggets and Raptors his agent says there are 3-5 other teams that his client is considering.

DNB Game In Pictures III

Ok this has been a fun feature. But we are taking into the next level. It is Raptors and Nuggets DNB Game in Pictures.....Roll'EM!!!



Hope you enjoyed if you did go on Youtube and like this video. Follow the Dino Nation Blog on Twitter @Dinonationblog and like us on Facebook.

It Was Over Before It Was On

I came out for a Raptor game in which they probably had little to no chance to win and got the Toronto Rock. TSN was up to their old tricks and as they had the end of a Toronto Rock game on instead of the Raptors. It was about a year ago I was covering the NBA All-Star Game when I still worked for The Score. TSN decided that it was more important to get Sportscentre on the air then let the country know who won the MVP of the ALL-Star Game. It motivated me to head to twitter and begin a hashtag #TSNHATESBBALL which ended up trending in Toronto on that night. Ever since you will see some people still using the hashtag when TSN screws something up in their basketball coverage. So when the lacrosse game was finally over the Raptors had already fallen in a deep hole 10-2 and would never lead for the rest of the night.

Once again it was a horrible first quarter with the Raptors shooting 1-12 before the camera's started rolling in Denver. Linas Kleiza would get the start at the 4 for the injured Andrea Bargnani. Raptors were down 28-12 and to add insult to injury Andre Miller made the last 3 of those 28 on a buzzer beater heave. The second quarter the Nuggets would just add to the massive advantage and led 54-32 at the half.

The Raptor would stage a comeback as they often do. They would get as close as 6 points. Casey would take out some of the guys that were leading the charge. When Calderon, Butler and DeRozan were put in, all who were not having great nights, the Nuggets took over to close it out for the 96-81 win. If you got depressed and tuned out before the final buzzer you might have missed a little bit of excitement.

Al Harrington thought he was fouled by Linas Kleiza. He would be jaw jacking with Kleiza the entire way up the floor. The Raptors while this was going on had got the rebound off the miss and called a time out. But Harrington continued to flap his gums and stay in the face of Kleiza. Finally Kleiza shoved Harrington and it caused a little scrum of pushing and shoving. No fists would fly but it did cause a little excitement.

The same old story for the Raptors with a slow start and digging a huge hole that they are unable to dig out of. Three players had some decent stat lines for the Raptors and that was bout all. James Johnson was the only starter in double figures with 16 points and was 7-10 from the field. Barbosa lead the Raptors off the bench with 19 points. He continues to be the most attractive trade chip the Raptors hold. Jerryd Bayless has started to look good since returning with 18 points and he was 7-10 from the field and was 4-5 from 3 point range.

Raptors end this strange road trip in New Jersey on Sunday. The Nets were winners on this night and are a game in front of the The Raptors in the Atlantic. Not that either team is looking like a playoff team or anything. The Atlantic Division basement bowl this will be on Sunday.

Raptors In The Land Of Tebow Miracles May Be All Out Of Them

Before we get to the game tonight in Denver as most of you probably saw we have an injury update from the Raptors on Andrea Bargnani. An MRI has revelled no significant damage to Bargnani's re-injured calf, however he is out indefinitely. These two things don't seem to go together. But what it means in terms of the here and now is don't expect to see Andrea Bargnani any time soon. Which makes what would have been a tough task with him, next to impossible now. It is one thing to scramble and out play a team for a 5 minute overtime without him, it is quite another to play a full 48 minutes without him. Matt Devlin dropped a pretty amazing stat in our interview yesterday. The Raptors without Bargnani the Raptor are 3-19 over the last couple seasons. I don't have the numbers for the Raptors in the past without Bosh or without Vince Carter but they can't be much worse than that.

It will be another Italian front and center tonight in the form of Danilo Gallinari. When I hear people talking about most improved player in the NBA and making the All Star Game don't hear much talk about him. But there should be talk. He is having a break out season in Denver and for a time in Fantasy Basketball season was the number 1 ranked player in all of the NBA. Like Bargnani he can make the three, you can argue for his position he is a better rebounder and he has nicer overall floor game. Stopping him will likely fall in the hands of James Johnson for most of the evening.

Denver is likely to be without it's point guard in Ty Lawson as he is listed as doubtful. Rookie Julyan Stone could see some extensive minutes playing behind Andre Miller. Speaking of rookies the Nuggets have two good ones in Kenneth Faried a beast on the glass and a shot blocker, along with Jordan Hamilton who played on the wing at Texas with Canadians Cory Joesph and Tristan Thompson. The Nuggets also of course have Nene back resigned in the off season. Along with an experienced yet like Al Harrington.

Raptors without Bargnani what they will do is up for debate. The last time he went down they turned to Ed Davis who has since gone deeper into the dog house of late. After his 25 point performance and given his skill set many feel a move to Kleiza at the four against his former team makes a lot of sense. I would agree and remind folks that he played a significant amount at the 4 in his time with the Nuggets. So it is not like he is unfamiliar with the position. In fact of late he has been playing there for the Raptors more than in the past.

Safe to say for the Raptors to make it 3 wins in a row it would be a minor miracle. If Tim Tebow is walking out on that floor he would be wearing a Nuggets Jersey so he is no help. How the Raptors make up for the 24 points that Andrea Bargnani provides will be the biggest issue moving forward with out him in the line-up.

3 Keys:

Start Strong: We can just leave this as a key until the Raptors actually do it. As I stated in the interview yesterday with Matt, no matter what level of basketball you care to talk about, playing from behind is not desirable. It makes a team have to expend far more energy than they would like too. In the thin air of Mile High Country you need all the extra energy you can find.

Compete on the Glass: Another common theme in the keys to the game. But against Denver is is vital, adding Faried made a team that already was decent on the boards that much better. This kid is an impact rookie. I remember a reader mentioning him as a fantasy sleeper and a dark horse for rookie of the year. He may not quiet be that Rookie of the Year but he is extremely solid and a difference maker on the glass.

Defend the Arc: Denver have some weapons from long range. Identify who is on the court and wear those shooters are. The Raptors ability to use the zone effectively should be greatly reduced against this team. Gallinari is only one of several capable long range strikers.

So no matter how much tebowing Raptor fans do tonight it would seem will be next to impossible to get a third win in a row. That said wins in Phoenix and Utah were not forecast either. However minus Bargnani is a big difference as we have seen the Raptors this season are close to a .500 team with him and without him might be the worst team in the league. Now that is POWER!!

Denver Deja Vu

It was the exact opposite of what we saw in OKC just less than 24 hours earlier. The Raptors did look good in the this second half of a back to back. Here is my recap with all the details in a quick and painless a way as possible.

Here is the Boxscore with the nasty statistical data. Have a couple interviews scheduled for today so come back and check them out. Suppose to be talking with Tom Liston who you may know from Raptors Republic or the RTZ or from Twitter @Liston. He makes his Starting 5 debut. Also suppose to hook up with Ray Bala the NCAA and Canada basketball guru from Raptors HQ.

Up next for Raptors is a match-up with the Suns on Wednesday. Forgot to mention in the Re-cap Amir Johnson was forced to leave this game at the half and did not return. His status for Wednesday will be up in the air.

Holly MacKenzie In The DNB's Starting 5

Holly MacKenzie has been mentioned in this blog on many occasions. I consider her not just a talented writer and very knowledgeable about basketball but also a friend. It has always been a goal to get Holly to come be in The Starting 5. It has almost happened a bunch of times. But something always would come along and it would never happen. So FINALLY it has happened and it was well worth the wait. We talk about a variety of topics from how she got to where she is now, to the Raptors future, and a number of NBA Topics including her thoughts on the upcoming off-season with a lockout looming. Holly truly loves basketball more than almost anyone I have ever met, and I am including myself in that. Her passion and love for sport shines through in her writing and it does in this interview as well. We also came to discover something that we both did not know until this interview. It was one of the more fun interviews I have done in the Starting 5 and I think you will enjoy it. Her picks for MVP, Coach of the Year and a whole lot more Stackmack has invaded the DNB.

Holly is just a super person and knowing her these past few years has been a real joy for me personally. If you ever met Holly and do not walk away from that encounter with a smile on your face, and love of basketball in your heart... something is wrong with you. She really is just as talented as she is as a good human being. I think the world of her and always am as thrilled for all the success she has had and will have. I am fortunate to know her and am very happy I was finally able to have her come be a part of our world here in the Dino Nation Blog. She knows her stuff and combines that with a love and passion for the sport of basketball that is near impossible to match. I respect her so much and am not ever surprised by anything she achieves. She works hard and has done more in a few years than some people have done in a career. I won't get into what I was doing at her age. But needless to say I was nowhere close to what she has accomplished. I am sure you like me already follow her on Twitter but for the record is it @stackmack and it is well worth the follow.

Raptors Try To Avoid Being Footnote In History

George Karl is searching for his 1000th win of his coaching career(Would be only 7th in history to do it). He comes calling on the place where he won his 900th game in Toronto vs the Raptors. Karl has fought back from cancer to return to the bench. He is just a classy man worthy of joining this exclusive club. Karl has had stops in Cleveland, Seattle and Milwaukee before landing in Denver in 2004/05. Here is a breakdown of how he got to 999 in coaching career. Raptors would rather 1,000 was not against them as they have lost 3 straight returning home to the ACC tonight after an 0-2 road trip. There is also the question of if Carmelo Anthony will play. Not because of him being traded but because of an injury. He of course last season made a last second shot to bury the Raptors in the Nuggets only visit of the season to Toronto.

The Basics: Denver 13-8 (3-7 on Road) Toronto 8-14 (2-4 without Evans)

When Last We Saw Them: Raymond Felton got the horse shot of a life time 5 bounces and in for 3 and that was the dagger to kill the Raptors. A career high 41 by Andrea Bargnani was not enough in the end. A much better effort than the last 2 losses but still a loss all the same.

Key Match Ups: Billups vs Calderon should be a good one to watch. Carmelo Anthony is a game time decision in this one and if he is not in the line-up Billlups will be or should be looking to score more to make up for that loss. Demar DeRozan matches up with Afflalo and this is a match-up he needs to win. Finally what does Andrea do for an encore matched up with Nene on the opposite side of the ledger.

Other Things of Note: Denver has won 3 straight in this series at the ACC and hold an all time 18-10 edge overall. No Birdman or blue light specials for K-Mart shoppers as they are both out. We are also hosting are MGD Best Seats in the House contest and heading over to Real Sports Bar post game. So it should be a blast. Looking forward to it and one last congrats to all our winners. So no recap of this one as the DNB will be taking the night off to have some fun with our lucky readers that won.

"Behind Enemy Lines"

Raptors + Denver Nuggets + Friday = HUGE. For two reasons. One: the Toronto Raptors will be playing a team fighting for their coach and his legacy of a thousand career wins. Two: James and myself will be meeting with some very lucky fans of the DNB in box seats at the Air Canada Centre. For the DNB and for me personally at the very least, it will be the most exciting game of the year. Fans of the blog will know my allegiance lies with the purple and gold and to the Raptors every other night the Lakers aren't playing. However, knowing what Denver has gone through as a club in the last year and how they have supported Head Coach George Karl through his battle with cancer makes me throw my support behind them too. I want the Raptors to snap their 3 game loosing funk but I wouldn't mind seeing George Karl get win number one thousand since I will actually be in attendance for the game. Just being honest - as I always am with you. Besides this Friday against Denver, the Raptors will be up against Detroit, Charlotte and Chicago. Nibble on this.


Friday, December 10 - Denver Nuggets at Toronto Raptors

• This will be the first time these two teams have met this season.
• Denver starter Carmelo Anthony is day to day with an inflamed right knee. He was a late scratch against Boston so there is a chance he will play Friday night.
• Denver Head Coach George Karl is one game away from 1,000 wins as an NBA coach. Only 6 other NBA coaches have accomplished this.
• Denver's hot: Gary Forbes earned a start in place of Carmelo Anthony. Ty Lawson is leading Denver in an average of 24 points off the bench in absence of Anthony.
• Who's not: Chauncey Billups is shooting a career low 35.8% from the field through 21 games for Denver.
• Key for Raptors: whether or not Carmelo Anthony is in the line-up and if they play solid defense.

Saturday, December 11 - Toronto Raptors at Detroit Pistons

• This will be the first time these two teams will meet this season.
• Ben Gordon, Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton combined for 48 points in their last game against the Hornets (19, 16 and 13 respectively).
• Detroit Injuries: Terrico White out with a broken foot. Jonas Jerebko still out with a partially ruptured achilles tendon on his right leg and will miss the next 5 months.
• Raptors need to watch Ben Wallace. He grabbed his 10, 000th rebound November 30th, 2010 and is the third active player to record this stat with 2,000+ blocks in his career.
• Key for Raptors: Realistically, the Pistons are no better than the Raptors despite the above. Play confident and force Gordon, Stuckey and Hamilton to take shots out of their comfort zone.

Tuesday, December 14 - Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Bobcats

• This will be the second time these 2 teams have met this season. The last game was a 101-96 win for Charlotte on November 10th.
• During this game, Gerard Wallace, Stephen Jackson and Boris Diaw all played close to or over 40 minutes and put up double digit points for Charlotte. Andrea Bargnani was in for 38 minutes and had 25 points on the night for the Raptors.
• Gerald Wallace recorded his 17th game with double figure scoring and 8th game with 20+ points for the Bobcats. Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas are also on a roll with double figure games. Stephen Jackson has averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5.7 assists since his one game suspension on December 3rd.
• Key for Raptors: need to be quicker to the basket than Charlotte and find a way to get Wallace, Jackson and Thomas out of their scoring rhythm.

Wednesday, December 15 - Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors

• This will be the first time these two teams have met this season.
• The Chicago Bulls have no players out with injuries at the present time.
• For Chicago: Joakim Noah ranks 2nd in NBA for rebounds per game. Derrick Rose is tied for 4th in NBA scoring, is second in the Eastern Conference.
• To date, the Chicago Bulls are 12-8 and have won their last 3 games. They will challenge the Lakers, Timberwolves and Pacers before taking on the Raptors next Wednesday.
• Key for the Raptors: play solid team basketball. No one player, not even Bargnani, will win this game for them. Be solid and consistent to shut down the ranks and record holders.

Thanks for joining me today. I am looking forward to meeting some dedicated fans of the DNB at Friday's game. See you all on Tuesday for another edition of NBAz in 7 Dayz. Have a great weekend.

Raps and Nuggets Ticket Giveaway

Final Question- DNB Trivia Question #5

The Dino Nation Blog in one of our NBA Season Previews called the NBA Finals Match-Up. NAILED IT!!! Who where the teams in the Finals and the Champion that James got right?

So that is it are you 5 for 5? If you are you have a chance to be our first winner.

Send in your answers to Dinonationblog@Gmail.com and have your chance to win the First Pair of tickets to see the Raptors and Nuggets December 10th in the MGD Best Seats in the House. Get your answers in by Thursday at Noon the winner will be selected from correct entries, contacted and announced later in the day.

Make sure you check out MGD on Facebook. They have other contests you can win on Facebook for Raptors and other things.

Will have an announcement tomorrow with Mission 2 of how you can earn another pair of tickets to join us in the MGD Best Seats in the House for Raptors and Nuggets on December 10th. Obviously you must be 19 and over as well as your guest and if you win tickets you are not eligible beyond that point. If you have missed one of the 5 questions they are all here in the DNB so go find them and if you need help with the answers some of you have already figure out, we have a site search engine that can be a great help to you.

Good luck to everyone and Mission 2 starts tomorrow.

"Jiggly Bits"

This should make you laugh. So it is Friday night and the Denver Nuggets are preparing for a pre-season match-up with the Portland Trail Blazers. Fifteen minutes before tip-off, Nuggets Head Coach George Karl realizes he has two right shoes. Poor guy. It is his first game back from going through throat cancer treatment and literally, starts off on the wrong foot. His team ends up taking this one from Portland 109-99, so the shoes really didn't matter. It's what he said about being back that stuck out for me, "...but there's a peacefulness to being back there and listening to the chatter and interacting with players and coaches and some fans". Sometimes this is better than the chemo or any other treatment the oncologist will throw at you. A friend of mine just told me his lung cancer has spread to his back and he will be in the hospital soon for more treatments. He thinks the same way Coach Karl does. Feeling the love and affection from those around you and choosing to be real (CHOOSE being the operative word) and living life in a positive way helps you fight this disease. For REAL. So if anyone out there is battling cancer or knows someone who is, realize it can be scary but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes you might feel like you have two right feet like Coach Karl but you are not alone. And hey, if basketball is your distraction, you are in good company, my friend. Let's talk Turkey, Raptors and something that disturbs me about the Denver Nuggets marketing strategy.

A Sad Turkey in Philly

It's a real shame when you take time away from your job and come back to realize you don't have one anymore. There has to more to it than to be "seemingly unwanted" by the NBA when it comes to Allen Iverson. Maybe rosters are full, clubs committed to other players or the dreaded and overused "going in a different direction". At the end of the day, Allen Iverson is still a great basketball player no matter what his problems were off the court. (As long as they don't become a distraction on the court). His heart is with the NBA but in the interest of playing the game he loves, is seriously considering a move to Turkey. I know we've talked about a move overseas for Iverson before but it just feels awkward for someone like him not to being playing in the NBA. Iverson had been negotiating a deal with China and those talks aren't dead yet but Turkey is looking like his best option since their season is starting soon. Remember, he's 35 years old and after he was drafted number one in 1996, spent 10 years in a Philadelphia uniform, is a 4-time scoring champion and it wasn't until a stint with Memphis and a return to Philly did Iverson really deal with on and off the court issues. Why wouldn't the Toronto Raptors be willing to take a one-year contract with him and roll the dice? They have nothing to loose. It's just pains me to see someone with his talent possibly leaving the NBA.

History Makes a Pattern

So the Toronto Raptors are in Chicago tonight ready to take on the Bulls. Barring a look at Carlos Boozer, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah or Kyle Korver, the history of these two teams playing each other seems to land in the Raptors' favour. Think back to their last two games. On December 5, 2009, Toronto came out strong in the first quarter with over double the amounts of points Chicago had (37-16) and managed to hang onto an edge in quarters 3 and 4 to win the contest 110-78. This was done with Chris Bosh in the line-up and managing 25 points and 12 rebounds on the night - with 13 of those points coming in the first quarter alone. Now switch to April 11th, 2009 in Toronto. Now it's Derrick Rose with a game-high 26 points, leading his team to a 104-88 victory over the Raptors. Chicago was only up by five points in the first quarter (28-23) but took two of the three following quarters. What does this tell you? When these two clubs meet, the team who comes out strong and plays strong for 3 of 4 quarters will win the contest. Especially true for the Raptors who are trying to gain every bit of an edge they can. I don't know that Jarret Jack or Leandro Barbosa will put up the points they did against Boston Sunday night because that would mean the Raptors are becoming consistent and free of living under Bosh's shadow. Give them time. Before the play was "get it to Bosh". Now they seem to be playing the floor more and working together as a team. Let's be serious for a second. No one thought the Boston Celtics would have been in the 2010 NBA Final the way they played the regular season and look what they did. Maybe you would be pressed to find a Nate Robinson or a Rajon Rondo type of player on the Raptors roster or maybe I am having an extremely optimistic Tuesday. I am starting to think Chris Bosh leaving the Raptors was the best thing for the team as a whole. I enjoy Chris Bosh as a player and will support and watch him play for Miami but he needed to leave. Players like Sonny Weems, DeMar DeRozen, Jarret Jack are on highlight-of the-night packs and the first players people want to talk about now. This is good. The next thing the Raptors need to do is play with confidence and to be aggressive right out of the gate - no holding back. No casually jogging back to defend, no third or fourth quarter break-downs in transition. None of that. Stare the three Miami Kings in the face and plow through the rest of the NBA. Because really, they have nothing to loose.

Can't stand the Heat? Get out of Denver.

As much as I support LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh playing together, the novelty is starting to wear off. But apparently not in Denver. The Denver Nuggets marketing department needs to give their collective heads a shake. Instead promoting the product they have, to sell tickets they are promoting the Miami Heat: "10-Game Fan Plan - See The Miami Heat Free". Woulld you go into a job interview and say "Hire me because my neighbour is awesome?" No. This floors me. By including the Miami Heat in their marketing campaign they are essentially saying two things. One, the Miami Heat are more exciting to watch than us. Two, we have no confidence our product can sell itself. If I were the Miami Heat, I'd be asking for royalties.

Basketball Beyond the Floor

Remember to join me here on the DNB this Thursday for our last "Basketball Beyond the Floor" of the season. Starting next week, a new feature called "Behind Enemy Lines" will take it's place. This new feature will take at look at the Raptor's opponents for the coming week. Until this Thursday, happy reading.

Mello? Heck No

Carmelo Anthony now becomes the latest disgruntled NBA star to be rumoured to want his way out from his current franchise. The thought is that the Nuggets will not go the route of Cleveland and Toronto and watch it's franchise player walk for nothing. When we look back on this summer it may well be looked at as the summer the NBA changed. Easy to say in retrospect that Cleveland and the Raptors should have traded their star players. But how realistic is that? The Raptors at the time of the deadline were firmly in a playoff position. How do you sell that to your fan base? The Cavs were a favourite to make the NBA Finals. The other argument would have been you make a trade last summer as it is being rumoured the Nuggets are considering now.

In reality, there is no good way for this situation to work for a team losing a franchise player. It is just different levels of pain. If the Nuggets do decide to trade Carmelo does anyone think they can be better for it? Taking players back in a trade is not always the answer. Every team in the NBA is well aware that you are in a desperate situation. Has there every really been a good trade in which a superstar wanted out? I can't think of one of the top of my head.

The larger issue in all of this is that players are starting to control the game at levels we have never seen before. In the end players are individual contractors that happen to play a team game. They have only their interests at heart not the interests of franchises or the league as a whole. The whole concept of loyalty on all sides of sports is getting to the point or being rare to nonexistent.

I love the CFL and my hometown Ti-Cats. When I was a kid, it was easy for me to tell you almost every starter on the Ti-Cats Roster. Now more and more that becomes a difficult task in all sports leagues. The Raptors are a great example over the last few years with a constant turnover of the roster. It makes you go back to the whole Jerry Seinfeld comedy bit of people are actually cheering laundry. It becomes all about the logo on the jerseys and not the name on the back.

It is kind of like, the whole college sports fan experience being brought to pro sports. In the NCAA, you go into with the expectation that players will come and go. Which has only increased over the years with players leaving for the draft after even just one year in basketball. College Football is the same type of assembly line make-up. You cheer for the school be it Michigan, Florida, Texas or any other school you care to name. Sure great players roll through the program but they are only there for a short time. The pressure to win now is great in college sports in the U.S. Every season is do or die and recruiting each off-season is about getting guys to win now for that next season.

We live in a world, that is total based on instant results and instant gratification. It is said, that sports often acts as a reflection of society as a whole. Well maybe that is what is happening. No longer to many players want to stick it out and win with a team. No longer do franchises have patience with coaches if they don't win. It is always about winning now. The process of team building has been lost in terms of this instant win now mentality. The days of watching a team grow and build seem almost gone. I always use to hate people that said things were better when they were younger, but maybe it was. I remember watching the Pistons build and the Bad Boys eventually topped the Lakers. The Bulls having to get through the Knicks and Pistons, prior to their 6 championships. There was a natural progression. The Miami Heat, if they in did are successful it will not have been done that way. I don't want the NBA to have a lockout next season, that being said I don't want to watch this league be run by players, that only care about their own interests. That is only good for the them and, not necessarily for the league and definitely not for the majority of NBA fans. Will it pull in a ton of fringe fans? Yes it will, but for the hardcore fans of many franchises this has been a dark summer.

Raps Better But Mello Best In The End

Three words to describe this game: HOLY FRICKEN JESUS. It was almost unbelievable considering the Raptors track record as of late. Tonight's match-up between the Denver Nuggets and the beloved Toronto Raptors was a chance for both teams to get back on track. The last time these two clubs met this season, Denver took the contest with a 130 - 112 score back in November. So Denver was not really concerned about Toronto going into tonight's game and or the fact that Hedo was off sick. Boy, were they ever wrong. If the Raptors continue to play like they did tonight, a play-off spot is in their future for sure. I would like to say that the Nuggets look better on paper since they haven't lost 4 in a row since February 2007 but really, I tried to be positive. I know Denver came out on top but I just felt the Raptors couldn't continue down this path forever and needed a win tonight to get out of this funky-monkey-funk of theirs. Forget about the fact Toronto sits 8th in the playoff race, and having "issues" with defence (Ask James to describe the Raptors defence and you will probably get a more colourful description). The final score could have been 97-96 for Raptors but it wasn't. Here's how it all went down.

First Quarter - No consistency

The Raptors were little shaky off the start with a game of greasy ball between Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh. With only a few minutes into the game, things didn't look too hot for the Raptors with 2 turnovers, taking too many 3's and not connecting. But Jose Calderon hits a three and little light seems to shine through. I think the major thing the Raptors proved tonight is the depth of their second string is still there and they definitely poured it on tonight. DeMar DeRozen came in with guns blazing at about 6:30 left in the first quarter and I am telling you, this boy brought some real energy off the bench and turned the momentum of the game around. He shows some aggression on a two - point attempt, misses and is tipped in by Bosh and I could swear I saw CB4's furled brow flatten with evidence of his teammates starting to help out. I think if the Raptors were a little more consistent starting in the first quarter, the game may have turned out in their favour.

Second Quarter - Bellisimo Belinelli

The Raptors have been trailing up to this point but with a fantastic drive off a turnover steal, PLUS drawing the foul, DeMar "don't doubt me" DeRozen makes the free throw and pulls the Raptors to within 5. But Marco Belinelli had some hot hands coming off the bench and all of a sudden there's hope for the first time in a while the Raptors might actually gain the advantage. Hope is a beautiful thing especially when you are a club trying regain the trust of fans. I think Jay Triano did a good job of taking advantage of the strengths of the bench in this quarter. The Raptors gain their first lead of the game and it came with about 6 minutes left to the half when "Bellismo Belinelli" makes it 37-36. He really capitalized on the energy DeRozen injected into the first quarter and really made you invest your own energy into the game. It was so refreshing to see them have a mini celebration on the floor after a DeRozen tip in since it seems like they were starting to relax and focus. At this point, they had 17 breakaways and 7 turnover rebounds, so they were making a great effort off the glass.

Third/Fourth Quarter - Weems makes us Dream but our hearts are still broken

As you know, when the score is so close and you've been working so hard to gain control, it's important not to let the other team get on a roll. Denver is number one in the NBA at the free throw line, so the Raptors needed to stay focused in this half and not make any silly mistakes. At one point Sonny Weems makes a huge play with a drive to the basket and draws the foul, making it 64-62 with 2 made free throws. This is the part of the game when I think Bosh really becomes engaged. Not like he didn't want to win before, but now he's enjoying not starring in tonight's version of "Hustle 'n' Flow" and having the supporting cast step it up a little. With less than 6 minutes left in the third, Bosh hammers not one, but two within 30 seconds of each other, making it 68-66 at this point for the Raptors and really gaining some leverage.

In my opinion, Sonny Weems was a huge factor in the second half. He was really confident from behind the arc hitting multiple 3s, having so much fun - you could see it in his face. Weems and Belinelli were playing both ends tonight and really stepping it up. They really helped the Raptors go nose to nose with a good team. They forced Denver to make some costly errors - one of them sent Bosh to the line with about 3 minutes left in the game. Bosh drains one and it's 90-86 for the Raptors. But then our hearts get ripped in the other direction when the game is tied at 92 with over a minute left in the game. Anyone tuning in at this point not knowing what time of the year it was, would've have thought this was a freakin play-off game. Bargnani makes a huge play penetrating deep to the basket and drawing the foul. Then Jay Triano sends in DeRozen with thirty seconds left maybe thinking DeRozen's early-quarter hot hands might come in handy? Quite possible. At this point you want to do 2 things: contain those looking to penetrate deep and what I like to call the "buzzer snipers". And unfortunately for the Raptors, Carmelo Anthony was one of those sneaky snipers making it 97-96 for Denver at the buzzer. I was hoping against hope when officials reviewed Carmelo's shot they would somehow recall the basket, but alas it wasn't. Man, what a hard game to swallow.

Round Ball Review- Bar Flies

Well the Roundball Review is back and Joey G has thinks are Raptor night @ Brooklyn's is tonight it isn't it of course on Wednesdays. Joey also claims a trade has happened in the NBA. He goes on about how he could do a better job running the DNB. Along with another appeal to get himself on T.V. Not to mention he claims to have been at Chris Bosh's Birthday Party. All the fun and insanity that you have come to expect.




Another Episode into the books. Hope you enjoyed them and got a few laughs. Danielle will have your re-cap tonight of Raptors and Nuggets. I will be doing March Madness for the Score.com and Score Mobile.

"Jiggly Bits" - Danielle de Graauw

Olympics...what Olympics? As if that statement would get you very far these days. It's hard to talk NBA to the average person with all this excitement going on much less read about it in the paper - other than the NBA stats on the back page. Our athletes deserve all the accolades that four years and sometimes a lifetime of training will bring. Go Canada Go! Now that I have that out of my system, let's get down to business.



NBA Rookie of the Year - And the winner is...Tyreke Evans.

So I hope you all took my advice to think outside the box after last week's NBA trade deadline. Lots more to think about right? So here's what went down in a nutshell: Tracy McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez are now Knicks; the Rockets went shopping and came back with Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, Hilton Armstrong and a first round pick; the Kings crowned Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and Larry Huges. Oh and Tyeke Evans got Rookie of the Year. Woohoo! I know, I know - you'd think my first pick would be Derrick Rose because I have been extolling his virtues as of late but in all seriousness, Tyreke has the whole package and his move with Dejuan Blair and the Rookie All Star MVP trophy really solidified it for me - a class act all the way. I think it would be in the NBA's best interest to attach Tyreke's image to the award, too - sending a message that this is the type of young player they want to attract. Plus with the trades Sacramento has made, the ball will be in his hands more often, hence more opportunities to shine. We can't forget about BBJ (Bucks' Brandon Jennings) but the only way he'd knock Tyreke off the rookie podium is if he starts racking up the points in Milwaukee, thus moving the Bucks up in the East. So really, the NBA Rookie of the Year award is for Tyreke to loose - he really deserves it in my opinion.

Don't mess with a "Bull" in transition

So all this talk about trades, transitions and titles really boil down to this: you call have all the skill and pizazz in the world but if you don't have a good supporting cast around you, you won't be invited to the final show. Now insert the Chicago Bulls just for fun to illustrate. All I have been reading about the Bulls lately is they are in a transition year. Ok, that's fair. So then does this mean that Coach Vinny Del Negro is in transition too? If I were Bulls' management, I would be saying this with my inside voice since they have tickets and merchandise to unload. But think about it - the Bulls make some trades and free up some spending money ($20 million) and Chicago fans have every right to get excited. This doesn't mean that a playoff spot will mean anything more than a time for Rose and the rest to develop and gain experience. I think their goal now should be to work hard and build themselves up to seem more attractive to a big ticket player or at least someone than can help them get over the transition hump.

Speaking of big ticket, do you want to know what I read about Chris Bosh and why he should leave the Raptors? Take into account this journalist is writing for an american publication. So Sam Smith of the Bulls.com says a good reason for Chris Bosh to leave the Raptors is he's in Canada without ESPN. Seriously? This is the best you've got? Do we think Bosh would leave to help someone else win? He's a player who needs a team and a city behind him and that's what he has here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Mr. Smith. We stand behind our players and anytime you want to come north of the border to take in a game, you will see why.

This is why the trade deadline makes the offseason so interesting. Look at the free agency history in the NBA. Lebron James is really only approaching his prime years and can be compared to Michael Jordan. MJ was a free agent in 1996 but he wasn't expected to leave Chicago - like Lebron. In 2004, Kobe Bryant was also a free agent but quickly proved L.A. was where he needed to be. I've heard people talk about Lebron going to Chicago but he wouldn't be able to wear the number 23 so please, let's stop perpetuating that rumour.

I'm a new Denver Nuggets Fan

I think the best story coming out of all this wheeling and dealing, lies in Denver. God Bless George Karl for trying to battle the play-offs and cancer at the same time. Five years ago, he had prostate surgery and has been good ever since. Then doctors found a malignant lump in his throat six weeks ago and Karl keeps it to himself - only management knew. Imagine being in this position. You are in contract negotiations with your bosses and suddenly it doesn't matter how many millions you are making. So management supports a one-year contract extension for Karl and the rest of the Denver Nuggets family -the players- are told. I like how the NBA, friends and foes alike, have rallied around him. And how Denver Nuggets management got behind him. If I were him, I think the most difficult thing dealing with all this would be all the questions and pushes for updates on his condition in press conferences and daily dealings with the media. I don't know if I could deal with that and may have kept my mouth shut entirely. Or maybe not. I think the love and support of family and teammates will move mountains for Karl in the next few weeks. It's times like these that make you appreciate what's around you - my heart goes out to George and the rest of the Karl family - close and extended.

Starting 5 Welcomes Back Zack

It is my pleasure to welcome back Zack Cooper to the Dino Nation Blog's Starting 5. Since the last time Zack joined us he has added to his basketball resume. He now is the host of Hoops when Eric and Paul are on the road with the Raps which is Thursday @7pm on the Fan 590. We talk about last night's loss to the Nuggets. Also look ahead to tonight in Utah. We also talk about Chris Bosh, Amir Johnson, Sonny Weems, Demar DeRozan and others. We talk about the Raptors Defense and it's lack of consistency. We also give some love to the Raptors offense. Zack is also huge into the video games and we talk a little basketball video games. Zack is the host of Got Game and is one of many people that told me I should have got 2k10 first. Well I now own both and real enjoy my 2k10 when every I get a chance to play it. Zack has been great in bringing some more basketball from the internet to the airwaves Fan 590 when he is hosting shows and has had Holly Mackenzie from (The Score and Slam) on several times, J.E Skeets from Yahoo and The Basketball Jones, Nat from Heels on Hardwood and even had me on as well. Hope you enjoy the conversation about the Raptors and am happy to have Zack as one of the growing number of regular guests we have as part of the starting 5.

Starting 5 with Zack Cooper From The Fan 590

DNB's Starting 5

You can keep up with Zack on Twitter @Zcooperstown on Twitter. If you are a fan of basketball or video games he is a must have on your Twitter follow list. Look forward to talking with Zack down the line as the season moves along. He is also leading his division in a Fantasy League we both are taking part in. Where am I? Don't ask...injuries have crushed my fantasy team from the jump. Day after I drafted Jamison he is out till tonight. He is expected to be back in the line-up tonight for the Wizards and I need him. More important for Raptors is Deron Williams is also expected to be back for the Jazz as we mentioned in the interview.

Live Blogging The Night Away

What a fun night last night was. Had our draft lottery Live Blog here and then off to work over at The Score.com for a great basketball game between the Nuggets and Lakers. I have a ton of fun doing what I do. It is a good thing I love basketball in general or it would be tough to just focus on the Raptors. The Raptors were not winners last night in the lottery but they were not losers on the other hand. The big losers on the night were the Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards. They dropped to 4 and 5 and that is awful for both of those franchises. So it could have been worse for the Raptors. In the end they get the draft pick that they earned in picking 9th. It seems odd to say it that way. So now we will see what the Raptors do. It seems clear to me the plan is to keep the pick at 9 and look for a pick late in the first round and bring in 2 players to add to the mix via the draft. The Raptors have cash considerations that they can turn into that second pick. In these tough economic times some teams late in that first round may not be all that excited about giving a contract that is guaranteed to a player that is part of what most consider a weak draft class. The risk and reward in this draft is far more risk and few rewards the Raptors will be looking to find that reward. It is going to be tough. But so is everything that faces the Raptors this off-season.

Bosh Has Had Enough

At the heart of that is Chris Bosh. If you are part of Twitter and follow Bosh you may have noticed this tweet he posted yesterday.

Chris Bosh (Via Twitter) " Everyone, please stop asking me to come and play for the team in your city. I get that question everyday now. I just want to enjoy my summer"

I can understand the frustration of Bosh. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. U.S media on mass from writers on Yahoo to reporters on ESPN and everywhere in between all think that Bosh is going to leave Toronto and it is a question of when and not if. Should Bosh remain with the Raptors heading into next season this kind of speculation is only going to increase and go on and could grow to become a great distraction not just for Bosh but the Raptors as a whole. Bosh could end all of this by saying that I am staying in Toronto and that is that. He could say it on Twitter or Facebook, heck if he wants to come on the Dino Nation Blog and say it he would be welcome. However that is not going to happen because it makes no sense for Bosh to do that. Even if he plans to stay he is not going to sign and extension and he is going to wait it out and have the chance to be a free agent. He can make the most money by going this route. In the economy today I can not blame anyone for doing what is best for them.

So this becomes the problem for Bryan Colangelo. How can he move forward and build this franchise when the major piece of it sits in limbo. The trouble is with all the speculation and drama can Bryan get anything close to true value for Bosh? Well he could if he traded problem for problem. But if you traded for another guy that is part of that 2010 free agent class that is perhaps a step below Bosh you face the same problem. In the end if anyone thinks the Raptors can trade Bosh and get better in the short term as a result I think they are dreaming. It seems to be the cool thing to do to try to devalue Bosh but he is a talent and just because he didn't make the ALL NBA squads does not suggest to me he is any less a talent. He averaged 20 and 10 only 3 guys in the entire league did that. Blake Griffin or anyone in this draft class is not doing that. I am not sure what the answer is if you are Bryan Colangelo. I personally would take the risk and ride it out. The last thing this franchise needs is to make a bad deal for it's best player by a wide margin. I know this much about Bosh in that he will work with the Raptors to do a sign and trade should he eventual leave and never gets moved this year. It is also the best move for him money wise as well. Unless the perfect deal comes along it really makes little sense to move Bosh to me.

Rob Babcock made a complete mess of the Vince Carter situation and I do not expect that Bryan Colangelo will do the same. First of all he has a much more willing partner in Bosh to make a deal that will benefit both the Raptors and Bosh. I personally hold out hope that it never has to come to this. I have enjoyed watching Chris Bosh develop into the player and person he is. I would be very disappointed to see him go. I find it a shame that so many folks have decided to bash this guy and try to take away from all that he has accomplished as a player. Let's be honest about things. When he was drafted did anyone expect him to be as good as Lebron James or Carmelo Anthony. Heck even Dwyane Wade was thought to be a better talent. But Bosh has proven to be a top level player and been able to hold his own and be a player that is part of what was a great draft class. To compare Bosh to a Lebron, Melo or Wade is a bit unfair to a point. All of those players can handle the ball and as an individual and create their own scoring. For Bosh not unlike a Dwight Howard he has to depend on the team around him to get his points. That for me does not make him a bad player it is just the reality of being a post player.

Bottom line of all of this is that Chris Bosh is a very good player and the best the Raptors have and to my mind the Raptors can not get a player better them him with what they have. Bosh may not like it but this is only the start of the storm that will surround him until 2010. It is part of the price you will pay for getting those big dollars. But he should enjoy his summer because it is only going to get worse unless Bryan Colangelo were to pull a trigger on a deal. Even than where Bosh lands that team will wonder if he stays for the long term or ends up being a one year rental.

Vince McManon vs Denver Nuggets

I got a huge laugh out of the mess over game 4 of the Lakers and Denver series that kicked off last night. What a great game that was and full marks to the Lakers for pulling out the win. They may have a lot of big fans now. Guys like HHH, The Big Show, Batista and the rest of the WWE Roster. It seems the Denver Nuggets made a mistake. They happened to book the popular wrestling show Monday Night Raw which airs at 9pm EST on the same night as Game 4 scheduled to start at same time. McManon never one to back away from a spotlight, he came out full guns blazing. He challenged the owner of the Nuggets to a steel cage match. He suggested his lack of leadership would be why the Lakers would likely knock off the Nuggets. It was a pretty good wrestling promo on behalf of the Lakers. To make it even more strange the interview was conducted by Johnathan Coachman on ESPN. Coachman who before he was in the WWE was a sports reporter in Kansas City I believe. It made the whole interview all the more strange. Vince McManon claims the WWE trucks are heading for Denver and who knows what to expect. My guess is that Raw would be forced to be taped in the afternoon if McManon will not back down. The NBA has stated that the date can not be changed so it is a mess to be sorted out. So if Kobe gets hit with a steel chair in game 4 something has gone wrong.

These issues have happened before. I recall a time that Dora the Explorer hi-jacked an NHL Playoff game. Well Vince McManon is not any kind of warm fuzzy kid's show. Expect the WWE to make this an issue in the shows going forward. Do not be shocked if you see a few wrestlers rocking the Lakers gold and purple in the coming days. After all as Vince will tell you he beat the federal government in court. He fears no one and can always see a situation as a chance to promote his product of the WWE. The WWE is claiming to be the best value in entertainment in these tough economic times. Well given that the NBA does not have playoffs on PPV I will suggest that the WWE has a long way to go to live up to that slogan. But this was to funny not to talk about. I know in the past I have enjoyed wrestling and know some of the readers of the Dino Nation Blog have been or are fans. The 2 worlds came together if only for one day. Craig Sager better watch his back he could get a chair shot. Oh wait he is safe he is doing the Eastern Conference series. Sager the way he dresses could be considered the NBA's Mouth of the South.

So how do you top that? I don't think you can so that is all for today. Enjoy the playoffs they have been great.

Actually one last thing. The Clippers won the lottery do you need anymore proof that Blake Griffin is going to be a bust?